GPA: Grade Point Average
GPA is the grading system used in the colleges and universities of
the US. As a student you complete your degree with a grade point average
or a GPA. Most universities use a GPA scale of 4.0. It is a
quantitative figure representing a student’s accumulated grades.
What are the different grades?The
grades are A, B, C, and D. A is the highest grade with 4 points, B with
3, C with 2 and D with 1 point. F is assigned to a student, if he fails
in a particular subject.
Calculating GPATo work
out your GPA, take the numerical value assigned to the letter grade you
achieve for each course and then multiply this number by the number of
credits each course is worth. Finally, add these numbers together and
divide by the total number of credits for all courses. For example:
Letter Grade | Numerical Value | Number of Credits | Total |
A | 4.0 | 3 | 12 |
B | 3.0 | 2 | 6 |
C | 2.0 | 3 | 6 |
B | 3.0 | 2 | 6 |
GPA in the above example is: 30 divided by 10 = 3.0 GPA
Foreign Grading ScalesThe following is a sample list of grading scales from selected countries which is useful for comparison :
Country | GPA Equivalent to a U.S. "B" |
Brazil | 7/10, 75/100, 4.0/5.0 |
Chile | 70/100, 5/7, 4.0/5.0 |
China (Mainland) | 80/100, 4.0/5.0, 12/20, 60% |
Colombia | 3.8/5.0 |
France | 2.5/4.0, 12/20, 60% |
India
| 60% and/or a degree award of First Class |
Japan
| 4.0/5.0 required when 40% = C 4.25/5.0 required when 50% = C 4.5/5.0 required when 60% = C |
Jordan | 80/100 |
Korea | 4.0/5.0, 3.0/4.5, 3.0/4.3, 80% |
Mexico | 8/10, 80/100 |
People's Republic of China | 80/100, 4.0/5.0, "Good" |
Saudi Arabia
| 80/100, 3.0/4.0, 4.0/5.0, "Very Good" |
Taiwan | 79/100, 4.5/5.0 |
United Kingdom
| 60% and/or a degree award of Second Class Upper Division |
West Germany | 2.5/1.0 (inverted scale where 5 = failing), Befriedigend |